Dry material feeding device



Jan. 21, 1936. w H T j- AL 2,028,719

DRY MATERIAL FEEDING DEVICE Filed 0ct.'9 1935 Affo/"ney Patented Jan.21, 1936 UNITED STATES DRY MATERIAL FEEDING DEVICE Wilbur M. Hurst,Washington, D. 0., and Walter R. Humphries, Silver Spring, Md.;dedicated to the free use of the Public Application October 9, 1935,Serial No. 44,206

2 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G. 757) This application is made underthe act of March 3, 1883, as amended by the act of April 30, 1928, andthe invention herein described and claimed may be manufactured and usedby or for the Government for governmental purposes without the paymentto us of any royalty thereon.

We hereby dedicate the invention herein described to the free use of thePublic, to take eifect upon the granting of a patent to us.

Our invention relates to improvements in dry material feeding devicesand is particularly adapted for feeding dry chemical powders used intreating grain.

5 Heavy powder-like materials usually have a great angle of repose andwill not readily flow down an incline. They become packed easily andform an arch or bridge over an opening, This tendency to remain immobileand to form a vertical hollow column or to bridge above an opening inthe bottom of a hopper has resulted in a lack of uniformity in feedingthe material. Efforts to dislodge the material when packed have requiredconsiderable power, due to the friction and weight of the materialrequiring heavy paddles or agitators.

An object of our invention is to provide means for feeding the materialuniformly from a full hopper to a practically empty hopper and to avoidthe inequalities in feeding encountered in prior devices due todifferences in head of the material in the hopper.

Another object is to provide a feeding device requiring very littlepower to operate and simple in construction.

In carrying out the objects of our invention we employ a partitionedhopper having an offset or supply section and a main or dischargesection so that the discharge means operates under a minimum head andvery little power is required.

The material is ejected by means of a double acting kicker whichreciprocates in the discharge section of an oifset hopper. The lower endof the kicker pushes the material out the ends of a trough in the bottomof the discharge section of the hopper. The upper portion of the kickerhas beveled edges so it will easily advance: through the material.

5 In the drawing illustrating one form of the invention:

Figure 1 is a top view of the feeding device;

Figure 2 is a side elevation in section; and

Figure 3 is an end view showing a section on 55 line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawing wherein like numerals ofreference refer to like parts throughout the several views:

A hopper l for the dry material is divided into two sections, an offsetor supply section 2 and a. discharge section 3 by means of a partition 4which is spaced above the bottom of the hopper to provide a passage 5.Below a slot 6 in the bottom I of discharge section 3 is a trough 8'open at the ends for discharge of the material and of a greater lengththan said slot 6. A kicker 9, comprising a lower portion l0 and an upperportion having beveled edges II, is adjustably mounted on a horizontalreciprocating 10 rod I2 by means of a slot I3, cap screw l4, and lockwasher l5. Reciprocating motion may be imparted to rod I2 by aconnecting rod l6, crank pin I1 and crank l8 mounted on a shaft I9, orby any other suitable means. Agitators 20 and 15 2! of spring steel wireare mounted near the lower end of kicker 9, extend through passage 5into the offset section 2, and are adapted to slide near the inclinedbottom 22 of offset section 2 and the partition 4, respectively. 20 Inthe operation of our device, dry material is placed in offset hoppersection 2, enters the discharge section 3 through passage 5 and fillstrough 8. As reciprocating motion is imparted to rod l2 by crank l8 andconnecting rod I6, the 25 lower end of kicker 9 pushes the dry materialout the ends of trough 8. The quantity fed may be varied by raising orlowering the kicker 9 by means of the slot l3 and cap screw M, or byincreasing or decreasing the speed of crank I8. 30 The agitators 20 and2| provide a continuous flow of material through passage 5 and maintaina uniform head in discharge section 3.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim for Letters Patentis: 35 1. A dry material feeding device comprising a hopper having anoffset supply section and a main discharge section, said dischargesection having a slot formed in the bottom thereof, a partition betweensaid sections, a trough below 4 and in line with said slot having openends projecting beyond the ends of said slot, and a kicker comprising anupper portion having beveled edges and a lower portion adapted toreciprocate in said slot. 7 45 2. A dry material feeding devicecomprising a hopper having an offset supply section and a main dischargesection, said discharge section having a slot formed in the bottomthereof, a partition between said sections, a trough below and in linewith said slot having open ends projecting beyond the ends of said slot,a kicker comprising an upper portion having beveled edges and a lowerportion adapted to reciprocate in said slot, and an agitator on saidkicker extending into the offset portion of said hopper.

WILBUR M. HURST. WALTER R. HUMPHRIES.

